Jacksonville, Florida

Not drinking water, silly. We’re talking about the fact that with 1,100 miles of navigable water Jax (yes people from Jacksonville call it that) has more shoreline than any other city in the nation. That’s 22 miles of beaches, 40 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway and the longest stretch of St Johns River in Florida. Trust us, if you’re interested in living on or near water it’s hard to beat Jax.

It's hard to believe but Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the lower 48 of these United States (damn you Alaska!). What issues come with that much land when it’s packed with people? For starters, it can be a visual mess with all the sprawl, and crime is a problem in spots given the difficulty supporting that much spread, but on the daily the big challenge is getting around. Given the thin to nonexistent public transportation, you're going to have to drive in Jax.

In terms of Jacksonville’s vibes, residents often claim that the city feels more like a true southern city than the rest of its Floridian neighbors. Residents are generally associated with having ‘courtly’ personalities and a strong appreciation for patriotism. A lot of residents take pride in fitting seamlessly into the ‘small southern town’ persona and Jacksonville is often quoted as being a strongly religious area.

Thanks to the combination of weather and geographical location, a lot of social life in Jacksonville happens without a roof. Jacksonville has more shoreline than checks notes any city in the United States, with Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Atlantic Beach being three of the most popular. In addition to the shoreline, Jacksonville also boasts the largest urban park system in the nation, with over 80,000 acres worth of green space to help residents take advantage of a climate with winter temps often in the 60s. Jacksonville is also one of the nation’s best kept secrets for foodies, with a restaurant culture that rivals its neighbor Miami.

If you're interested in knowing what goes on in Jacksonville check out the calendar of events.

While the average salary in Jacksonville is slightly below the national average, the low cost of living and low taxes are two factors that residents point to as working to offset that. The hospitality industry in particular is on the rise in Jacksonville as out-of-towners travel to the Sunshine State to take advantage of, well, the sunshine. Financial staples Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Bank are two big employers for those who are financially minded, and if you drive south from downtown you’ll find the massive Naval Air Station military base that many Jacksonville residents call their workplace. Railway giant CSX Transportation is also headquartered downtown for those with experience in the transportation trade.